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The
Official Newspaper of Anamosa, located in Jones County, Iowa
Anamosa News
Since 1855
 Thursday,
November 8, 2007 |
Fawn Creek Warehouse Ablaze
| Firefighters from around Jones County were called to a blaze at the Fawn Creek Manufactured Homes Warehouse at around 9:15 p.m. on November 6. The warehouse fire, located on Highway 151 near Monticello, slowed passing traffic. No further information was available at press time. |
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Voters Eliminate Wards in Anamosa Election
by Michelle Phillips |
Nearly 25% of the registered voters in Jones County turned out for city elections on November 6.
In Anamosa, Measure B, to eliminate wards in the city easily passed with 63.66% of the votes. Beginning with the 2008 election, all seats in Anamosa will be at-large.
Anamosa Mayor, Jon Hatcher, and city councilmen Bill Feldmann and Brian Harmon all retained their seats.
In the Ward 1 council race between Paul Nelson and Brady Reynolds, voters chose Reynolds as their representative.
In Olin, Greg Gerdes beat out David Cavey for the mayoral post, 55.77%-42.31%. In the council race, Robin Strawn, Brett Anderson and Michael Greene all won seats.
Merle Tank retained his mayoral seat in Oxford Junction and Betsy Bonny and Matthew Martin both retained their seats on the city council.
Jeff Butterbaugh nosed out Edwin Parker for the office of mayor in Martelle. Winning council seats were won by Shirley Durband, Kim Sherman and Jim Slach.
The mayoral race in Morley was uncontested and Michael O’Conner retained his office. Ben Losh, James McClintock, Nick Rundle, Mary Jane Smith and Leo Wooder were all elected to the Morley City Council.
In Monticello, Don Ho Miyagawa upset incumbant mayor Gerlad Wilbrect. In Monticello Ward 3, incumbant Reenie Breyer was upset by Gregg Merfeld. Ward 3 and at-large seats were uncontested and won by Russ Hodge and Gereld Muller, repectively.
The Wyoming mayor’s seat was retained by Stuart Ireland and council spots were won by Steve Heiken, Alva Husmann, Kelly Dodge, Chris Watters and Donald Woodley.
All results are unoffical until canvassing is complete. |
Veterans Day Assembly Planned
By Michelle Phillips |
The 13th Annual Veterans Day Assembly will be held at Anamosa High School on November 12, beginning at 10 a.m.
This year’s keynote speaker is US Congressman Bruce Braley.
Since elected to office in November 2006, Braley has pioneered legislation to provide benefits to US soldiers and their families.
The Double Service Award goes to individuals that are both a veteran of our United States Armed Forces and have worked for the Anamosa Community School District. There will be 12 veterans honored with this award at this year’s ceremony.
The Spanish-American War will be the focus of this year’s assembly and readings will be about that war.
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The 2007 Freedom Rock painting is a tribute to the different branches of the military and veterans of wars in which the US has fought. This year’s Veterans Day Assembly will featured a video of the rock, which is painted by Ray Bubba Sorenson each Memorial Day. The rock is located at the entrance of a gravel pit near Greenfield in central Iowa. |
The Freedom Rock, painted by Ray Bubba Sorenson, will be featured in a video. The rock is a boulder that marks the entrance of a gravel pit near Greenfield. Sorenson began painting the rock each year on Memorial Day to honor US soldiers. He got the idea in 1999 after watching Saving Private Ryan.
A slide show will also be presented and feature students at Strawberry Hill who collected items for soldiers in Iraq. The slide show will also serve as a tribute to area men and women that have served in Iraq.
Several military vehicles will also be on display at the school this year.
Immediately following the assembly, a free community lunch will be served at the Lawrence Community Center. The menu will consist of turkey and dressing sandwiches, side dishes and desserts and is sponsored by the Anamosa Student Council. Free will donations will be accepted to help fund next year’s event.
In addition to these events, the Jones County Veterans Hall will add about two-dozen new names to the plaques. There is also a book on display in the hall, located at the South entrance of the Jones County Courthouse, which tells the story of WWI veterans. The Jones County Veterans Hall will be open 1-4 p.m. |
Four Candidates Running for Same School Board Seat
By Michelle Phillips |
The Anamosa Community School District will hold a special election on November 20 to fill the three spots left vacant by Julie Fall, Julie VonMuenster and Sharon Weideman, who resigned in September.
Nomination papers were due at the Jones County Auditor’s office by October 26, and although eight people took out nomination forms, only four were returned. All for the same seat, the two year spot.
Jones County Auditor Janine Sulzner said the other open seats, a one year and a three year, will be determined by write-in votes.
If for some reason there are no write-in votes, the school board would have the option of appointing someone to the open spot.
“Chances of that happening are very, very small,” she said.
Anamosa Superintendent Dr. Dale Monroe said he anticipated all seats to be filled.
“It's interesting that all four are vying for the same seat,” he added.
Anamosa School Board President Brain Darrow said, “It’s too bad everyone signed up for the same seat.”
He too is confidant that all of the seats will be filled.
“I’m optimistic that the board will be intact again, and I’m looking forward to moving on,” he went on to say.
Monroe said he had several inquiries concerning write-in candidates. Anyone, including those whose names appear on the ballot may be written in.
“I appreciate all the interest that we’ve had,” he said.
He feels one of the things people may see as a drawback is the amount of time that must be committed to the board. In addition to meeting, board members must inform themselves on issues, research items, field phone calls, attend special meeting and work with other groups. |
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The candidates running for school board are Nurit Finn, Chris Kenney, Jean Sellnau and Lowell Tiedt. Their profiles are as follows:
Chris Kenney
Chris Kenney is a longtime residentt of Anamosa,, and now a candidate for school board.
An Anamosa High School Graduate in 1988, he has remained in the community and even served as a second shift janitor from 1994-1999 at the Anamosa High School. Now, with two girls, both in Middle School, he has an interest in seeing the school grow.
“I want to, number one, get the community back together,” Kenney explained when describing why he is running. He knows that without any majority support, nothing will get done. “I don’t want to see our town just so mad at each other.”
One such dividing issue happens to be the sight for the new Anamosa High School.
“I’m not in favor of the Highway 64 site,” he said, when asked about it. “Never have been.”
In fact, Kenney would rather see the school put somewhere centrally located, such as behind the current High School. Or, maybe more of the McDow property could be purchased. He isn’t committed to one idea over the other, at the moment, instead keeping an eye out for better options.
When describing why he wants to run, Kenney also said, “I want to be a moral voice.”
As a member of the Martelle Christian Church, he believes he has the grounding to do so. As a morally bound board member, he would pursue a dress code. Not a uniform, but just a dress code, something that would cover up the body.
“That’s an important issue with me,” he said.
Kenney has other qualities he feels will be helpful on the board. As one of the employees of Van Meter Industrial, an electrical wholesaler, he is part of an employee owned company. The company is constantly looking to maximize their dollar. They don’t have to be the best in the world, as long as the job is done. Kenney believes that kind of thinking can be beneficial for the school, as well. He claims that Anamosa needs to do what’s right for the school, and not necessarily be competitive with Monticello or other districts.
Lowell Tiedt
Lowell Tiedt is retired from the Cedar Rapids school system after 32 and a half years of service. He taught in elementary and middle school, and coached in middle and high school. After so many years in education, why would he be running for the school board?
“Because I have a vested interest in education, the school system, and students,” he said.
Currently, his wife, Ann works in the Anamosa district. His three daughters all graduated from Anamosa, the youngest in 1998. And, for some people, education is a life long career, even more so than the military, which Tiedt served in for over 38 years.
Many people will want to know where he stands on the new high school site. His answer: “My position is, we need a new school.”
He isn’t sure where. He knows that some people have issue with the highway 64 site, and is open to suggestions. But, it does need to be built.
So, what is his goal as part of the school board? “I want to keep the best interest in students in front of me, and make the Anamosa School System a great place where people are going to want to come.”
Nurit Finn
Nurit Finn believes that education is a gift, one of the best that can be given to our children. Education will allow opportunities that would otherwise be denied to them. Her parents raised her on this ideal, and that is why she is running for school board.
Finn is full of ideas on what she thinks will make the system a lot better. For instance, she likes the idea that the school is working to better its ELP and college readiness programs. She feels that every student should be college ready when they graduate, and the process can be started early, well before they reach high school. Steps should be taken to raise the bar of expectation for students, even at an early age, and offer more to allow them to step beyond the norm if a student is capable.
But, that is just one example. Finn has ideas on curriculum, the at-home problems of early outs and days off, and even the mission statement. “I think that our mission statement is too limiting,” she says.
With so many ideas, what is her view on the new High School site? She claims that the decision-making process should be open and fair. The board should get more feedback on the new school, since it will have a big impact on the town in a lot of ways.
So, what does Finn think she has that will allow her to bring all these ideas to the board?
As a parent of two children, one in elementary and one in middle school, she says, “I think I have an understanding of the concerns parents have.”
She and her husband, as archaeologists, co-own their own company, Wapsi Valley Archeology. She is the president. This, she believes, has taught her not only fiscal responsibility, but has given her an idea of what education can do to make anyone successful. As a resident, she believes the school system is a key part in the community’s success.
Finn isn’t too choosy about what slot she serves. She only chose the two-year slot as a middle ground, but is open to serving the one or three year position.
Editor’s note: At press time, Jean Sellnau had not returned calls requesting an interview. |
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